Auxiliary gas lift for oil wells



Sept. 30, 1952 H. J. ARNALL 2,612,117

' AUXILIARY dAs LIFT FOR on. WELLS Filed July 5. 1950 if Z5 .3/

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 30, 1952 AUXILIARY GASTLIFT FOROIIJ WELLS. H me, Justin Arnall, Clay City, In.

Application' July 511950, Serial a r-2,051- v This'invention relates to o In oil well pumping systems certain difiiculties are encountered particularlyin the type oi? oil, well containing gas. One of the diiiiculties stems from theue'ntrapment of gas in the pump resulting in what is known as gas locking.

valves of the pumping mechanism is eq'ual-toor greater than the pressure developed in the opposite direction to open-the valve then the valve will remain closed andno oil will be pumped.

Accordingly, one of theobjects of this invention is the provision of means for overcoming the gas locking of ordinary oil pumps, and which in use will conserve the gas and also release a portion of the bottom hole pressurein the well.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for lightening the load on the pump without interfering with the action at any timel I wells and is more particularly concerned with improvements in. systems for pumping oil from the wells."

-'If the pressure of the entrapped gases in the valve or 3' Claims. (01. its- 232i vA further object of the invention is the 'provision of a unit which can be inserted in thepipe line carrying the oil being pumped to accomplish A still further object of this invention is theprovision of a unit which comprises a tubular section or pipe interposed in the pipe line of an oil lift, a vented shell surrounding the interposed pipe and means in the space between the shell and the interposed pipe for controlling the flow of gas to the oil being pumped throughthe interposed pipe in such a manner as to introduce intermittent jet action.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description which explains the invention in connection with an embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational cross section of the embodiment as it appears in operative position.

Figure 2 is a section along the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one of the check valves.

Referring with more particularity to the drawing in which like numerals designate like parts, the numeral ll identifies an ordinary well casing within which the ordinary well piping is disposed for pumping the oil out of the well. Between consecutive sections of the well piping such as lower section 12 and an upper-section l3 there is disposed the unit 14 of this invention. This unit is preferably; disposed at a point about twenty feet abovethebottomof the well casing and it comprises a central pipe" 15 which is externally threaded atthe top and bottom toengage the internal threads of couplings l6 and ll of the adjacent pipe sections 12 and [3, respec-- tively.' l I In'spaced relation about-the pipe-ifi there is disposed an elongatedshell 18 the upper and lower ends I9 and 20 of which are-swedged to slidably engage the pipe 15 and provide an an--- nular chamber 2| between the pipe andthe shell 18. The shell is providedin two parts consisting of anu'pper-sectionand a lowersection which are removably secured together, such asby the threads shownin Fig. 1, to facilitate assembly and to 'permitthe: servicing andrepair of parts-on the interior thereof. l The upper end '1 1.9 of theshell abuts the.bot-, tom of the couplings and it is held in. this abutting relation by, means of acoilspring; 22. disposed about the lower end of the pipe'i5 said pipe being longer than the shell andprojecting from it-at eitherend. v The lower end of..the. spring 22 rests on thetop of the coupling 16.1 The upper end of the spring abuts an inner flange 23 at the top of a collar 24 surrounding the spring, said collar being secured to the lower end 20 of the shield by threads or other suitable means, such as welding. By this arrangement the coil spring tends to maintain the upper end of the shell in contact with the lower end of the coupling 11.

Within the annular chamber 21 there are disposed a plurality of tubules or ducts 25, three being shown for .illustrative purposes. These ducts are preferably disposed equidistantly about the pipe 15. One end of each of the ducts 25 is welded to the pipe 15 and communicates with the interior thereof by means of vents 36 passing diagonally upward through the wall of the pipe 15. The other end of each duct 25 projects downwardly in the chamber 21 and the tip thereof is provided with an abutment bridge 2'1. The abutment bridge is so disposed as to leave openings 21a between it and the end of the duct.

One end of a nipple 28 is threaded on the lower end of each duct 25. The other end of the nipple has a bore 29 therethrough. At the top of the v bore a check valve is provided consisting of a concave seat 30 and a ball member 31 for the seat.

Through the shell 18 there are provided a pluside of the shell will tend to travel ast the vents,

while permitting the entrance of the gas therein.

In operation oil is pumped upward through the pipe line, including sections [2, l5 and [3. Gas escaping into thespace between the pipe line and the casing; 'llenters; the vents 32*; When. the

pressure of the gas is sufficiently great to overcome the weight of the balls 3| they are unseated thereby permitting the gas to flow through the: bore 29 into the ducts 25 and thencegintogtheinipe l5 through the vents 36 where oil being pumped. The entrance of the gas under' pressureinto the oil line has the effect of boosting the oii upward and increasing the pressure on the intake side of the valves of thepump. This increases the eificiency of the pummand also tends to overcome-:any as :lock-ingthereim In. actual. practice; the action or: the: check; valves. is such as to causethe gasztoq-entcr'theroii' line ill-5911115: This actioniresults from-the elevation of; theballs; 3r] onlyewhen BhQgaSADIGSSUrBLiSI;

sumcientr to overcome;- the, weight: of; eg-b31131. When, this conditionexists theqballsl are elevated: and, the; pressure is therebymomentarilvi-reducem causing the balls to fallback on their seats tandremain there: until thepressure-agairrincreases 3.02

sllfiifi ielltly; t01-elevate;-the balls; Accordingly; 92.;

con inual intermittent: jet action: is established,

andmamtained,

Ldaim! auxil a y .llfit comprising- 3, Q ipe, a shell: 3521 urrounding a portion; oi": said: pipe: and being; spacedltherefrom;topmvide a; chamber, said-shell beingvswedged at theaendato slidablyaengag rthep. pipeqandcomprisingzanzupper-section and a lower section removably=securedi together; coupling-son the; end of said pipe, a coil springbetweerr one coupling andthe -corresponding end of 'the 'shell ducts between said-shell and pipe, means-communicating said duets with the-interior of -=said pipe, a. portion: of, said ducts projecting j downr wardlyand having each ach'eckwalvesaid shell having vents therethrouglr:

2. An auxiliary lift comprising a pipe, a shell surrounding a portion of said pipe, said shell being swedged at the ends to slidably engage the pipe and provide an annular chamber therebetween, said shell comprising an upper section and a lower section removably secured together, couplings on the ends of said pipe, a coil spring between one coupling and the corresponding end of the shell, a collar surrounding said spring, said collar being, secured to said is'heli, ducts: within said" annular chamber, n'ie'ans communicating said duets with the interior of said pipe, a portion of said ducts projecting downwardly in said chamber-and: having each a check valve, said shell having vents therethrough.

3-;- auxiliary lift comprising a pipe, a shell surrounding a: portion of said pipe, said shell being swedged at the ends to slidably engage the pipe amt provide an annular chamber therebetween, said shell comprising an upper section and a. lower section removablysecured together; couplingsom-the ends; of.:sa:id: pipe-,;. a coilisprina: between onepoupling,andithe:correspondirrgend: of the shielhai .collarsurroundingrsaid spring; said collar being se'curedxgtoysaid'; she1l,. ducts: within: said; annular-: chamben, means communicating; sa-id ducts: witir the-interiorotsaidpipaeai portionz, oiv said ducts projecting downward-ly in; saidi chamber, a, nipple: removably: attached l tow. the; endspt-said downwardly'projectingg portions'andc aball, check; vaivewirr eachrtofqsairt nipples; shell .havingyents therethrough: 1

HORACE JUSTIN-- REFERENCES CITED;

Theafollowingreferences are of record irr-"tlie file Of; this patent z UN ITED'I STATES; PATENTS Villersi- .Sept': 8; 19365 

